As they waited for the final DRS review of the match - a mere formality - Shubman Gill and Michael Bracewell shook hands and congratulated each other. They had batted superbly to set up a modern classic. Gill became the youngest double-centurion in ODIs before Bracewell made a game out of a chase of 350 from 130 for 6 with a sensational 140 off 78 balls. Eventually New Zealand were within two sixes - Bracewell had hit 10 already - of levelling scores when they lost their last wicket with four balls to go.
Gill's place in India's ODI side was questioned because the batter who replaced him when he was resting scored a double-hundred, and he responded one of his own after making 70, 21 and 116 in his first three innings since his return. This wasn't the easiest of tracks for batting: the next-best score was Rohit Sharma's 34, and India's 349 for 8 was the lowest score in any ODI innings to feature a double-century.
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You can watch the replay of the first ODI between India and New Zealand on ESPN Player in the UK and on ESPN+ in the USA. If you're in the UK, you can also watch the replay on YouTube.
The conditions turned in the second half of the match as they do, but by then Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav had helped India take six wickets, which proved to be the difference even when Bracewell and Mitchell Santner added 162 for the seventh wicket in just 17 overs. Towards the end the asking rate was within reach but Bracewell ran out of partners.
When play started, with India once again taking on the challenge of scoring a total they can defend under lights, hard lengths bowled straight were difficult to hit, and the odd ball turned for Santner and Bracewell. New Zealand kept picking up wickets regularly, but Gill kept taking the heat off, scoring 19 off 8, 17 off 12, 12 off 8 and 18 off 10 immediately after the first four dismissals. New Zealand conceded just 93 runs in 13 overs from the 35th to the 47th, but then Gill launched his biggest assault, scoring 39 off his last 12 balls.
Rohit and Gill got India off to a quick start, but once Santner started to string together tight overs, wickets began to fall. Rohit felt the need to take the bowling on, and skied an intended hit down the ground. Soon, the first ball that turned in the match went past Virat Kohli's bat to hit the top of off. Santner had brought New Zealand back into the match.
Gill, though, looked sublime. His back-foot punch, his extra-cover drive and his dismissive pulls were all on display. In a welcome departure from the way India play in such situations, Gill tried to take spin down immediately. His first attempt resulted in an outside edge off a non-turning Bracewell offbreak, but Tom Latham dropped the catch. Gill didn't back down. In the same over, he slog-swept a six to get to 52 off 52.
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/new-zealand-in-india-2022-23-1348633/india-vs-new-zealand-1st-odi-1348646/match-report
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